Moistening device



4Jan. 30, 1940- R. c. oET-rscHE HOISTENING DEVICE Filed D80. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j@ raw/#5222@ Patented Jan. 39, 1940 PATENT OFFCE MOISTENENG `DEVICE Roy C. Goettsche, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Colorplate Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a` corporation of Illinois Application December 10, 1938, Serial No. 244,981

12 Claims.

1The invention relates to moistening devices and has reference more particularly to a compactportable device for mcistening sheets of paper which will be simple in construction, eco- 5 nomical to manufacture, and which will fulll all requirements of service.

An object ofthe invention is to provide improved inoistening apparatus and supporting container therefor which will also support a pile l oi paper sheets in proper associated relation so that a moistening liquid will be applied and evenly distributed over the top surface of each sheet as it is withdrawn.

Another object of the invention resides in the i6 provision of moistening apparatus which will embody a removable wick for applying a meistening liquid through capillary action and wherein the amount applied may be varied by changing the level of the liquid in which the wick is im- 20 mersed.

A further object resides in the provision of a moistening device for rnofistening` sheets of paper by `means of a wick and which device will be supported on tcp of a pile of paper sheets in a 25 manner to cause the wick to contact the top sheet with the proper pressure for applying the right `amount of liquid to the sheet as it is withdrawn .and which will not interfere with said Withdrawal.

o0 A further object resides in the provision of a moistening device having a wick for applying a moistening 'liquid to sheets of paper and which will be supported on a pile of said sheets in a manner to contact the saine at twopoints, one

35 of said points comprising said wick and wherein the other point of support will comprise a substantially frictionless roller.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel fea- -io tures of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the speciication, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodi- 5 ment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View taken transversely through the center o-I" the present apparatus showing the moistening devicein op- ;,U erative associated relation with a pileof sheets supported by the portable container;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the portable container for the paper sheets4 and moistening device showing the latter in raised 55 inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view oi' the container with the present moistening device in position for operation; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the backing plate for the wick showing the man- -5, ner of attaching the adjustable paper stops thereto.

in the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, the moistening device is located within a portable container 1o consisting of a base lil having a rear wall il, an arcuate top` I2, and side walls i3 and M. The frontl of the container is provided with a main opening I5 whereby the moistening device is positioned within the container and from which opening the paper sheets, properly nloistened, are withdrawn. A second or supplementary opening. I6 `is also formed in the front wall, providing access to the compartment Il within which may be stored miscellaneous articles. The compartment Ii is formed by the base lll and the diagonal wall ISI on which isv supported the pile of paper sheets 20. rI'he paper stop 2l for the pile is adjustably supported on the diagonal Wall I8 by means of the depending screw 22 and 25 wing nut 23. The screw is formed with a square base-which rides within slot 2li in the wall I 8 and in this mannerv movement oi the paper stop 2l is prevented, other than longitudinal movement in the direction of the slot.

The moistening device of the invention, which is primarily adapted for association with a pile of paper sheets, consists oi' a substantially closed tank indicated in its entirety by numeral 25 including a, diagonal bottom wall 2S, a rear Wall `35 2l, a top` wall 28 and end members 39. As a result of the diagonal bottom wall 25 the tank is substantially triangular in cross section. In connection with said bottoni wall the tank is provided with a throat or passage extending the ,40 full length of the tank and which is formed by said bottom wall and wallY 3i. Said wall 3l terminates short` of the rear wall 2?, so that any liquid within tank 25 will travel up into said throat or passage until the level of the liquid is the same as that Within the tank. The end members Siiextend beyond the rear Wall 2 of the tank and said rearwardly extending portions at their lower ends have releasably secured thereto the roller 32.l by means of the pins 33. The pins support the roller so as to permit rotation thereof and which in turn has contact with the top sheet of the pile 2l) providing the rear point. of support for the moistening device. The pins33 extendY through` vertical slots 34 formed in the end walls I3 and I4 of the container and which slots terminate at their upper end in a bayonet portion 35. The slots therefore guide the pins and conne their movementl and also that of the moistening device to a true vertical plane.

The tank 25 is supplied with moistening liquid by the reservoir 36 which is adapted to rest on the top wall 28 of said tank. The liquid from the reservoir is discharged into the tank through the depending tube 3l which enters the tank through an opening formed in the top wall 28 thereof. The tube at its end carries a piece of rubber hose or the like 38 which can be adjusted vertically of the tube so as to vary the extent to which the same depends into the tank 25. As known in the art, liquid from the reservoir will be discharged into tank 25 until the level therein is slightly above the end of the hose 38 which air-locks the reservoir 3G to prevent further discharge of liquid. As the liquid is used up the level in the tank 25 will drop and eventually this level will be below that of the hose 38, breaking the air-lock in the reservoir and allowing sufficient liquid to flow into the tank to replenish the liquid used.

The passage formed in tank 25 by the bottom wall 26 and wall 3l is adapted to receive a wick 40 of fibrous material which is inserted in said passage by the aid of a backing plate 4l shown in detail in Figure 4. The lower end of the Wick will therefore be immersed in the moistening liquid within the tank and which will ow up the wick by capillary action to be applied to the sheets at the forward end of the wick. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the said forward end of the wick 48 extends beyond tank 25 and is bent downwardly for contact with the top sheet of the pile 28. This forward end of the wick is held in this position, which is slightly below the plane of the bottom wall 26, by the curvature of the backing plate 4l. Said plate provides a substantially horizontal portion 42 and a vertical portion 43. Also said backing plate carries paper guards 44, Figure 4, which are adjustable along the length of said plate to accommodate sheets of paper of varying width. The rear end of each paper guard is bent around the rear end of .the backing plate 4I, forming a portion 45 which underlies the said backing plate. The forwardly extending end 46 of each guard provides a depending paper guide 41 and a paper stop 48. The

. guards are positioned on the backing plate so vtop sheet of said pile.

that the pile of paper sheets 20 are confined by said guides 41 which will therefore be spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the width ofthe paper sheets. The paper stops 48 are located a short distance in front of the leading edge of the pile and are necessary in order to facilitate withdrawal of the top sheet from the pile. The withdrawal of the top sheet will tend to impart similar movement to the next underlying sheet as a result of the friction between the two but by reason of the paper stops 48 the second sheet will be held and further movement prevented. The lip or forwardly extending portion of the sheet thus provided enables the operator to readily grasp the same when it is desired to withdraw the sheet from the apparatus.

In the present moistening device the tank 25 and the reservoir 38, supported in superposed re- .lation by said tank, is in turn supported on the pile of papersheets so that the weight of the same will force the Wick 40 into contact with the As a result thereof the wick contacts the sheet with the proper pressure and applies the correct amount of liquid, uniformly distributing the same over the sheet.

, More specifically, the present moistening device is supported on the pile of paper sheets at two points, one of which comprises the wick located at the forward end of the moistening device, and the other point of support including the roller 32, positioned at the rear of the device. In accordance with the invention the roller is rotatably supported by the tank 25 so that at this point very little resistance is offered to the withdrawal of the top sheet from the pile. It will also be observed that the center of gravity of the moistening device is well forward of this rear point of support so that a part of the weight of the device is transmitted to the pile through the wick. This pressure on the wick is constant and uniform irrespective of the height of the pile of sheets.

The moistening liquid within the reservoir and tank may comprise a volatile, readily diffused, moistening liquid which, when applied to the paper, will not cause the saine to wrinkle to any great extent. Said moistening liquid will be caused by capillary action to travel up the wick, to be eventually applied by the wick to the top sheet of the pile as it is withdrawn. The amount of liquid so applied can be readily adjusted by varying the level of the liquid within the tank 25. For this purpose the air-locked reservoir 36 is provided with a depending spout which is adjustable as to length since this determines the level in tank 25. The forward projecting end of the wick is directed downwardly by the curvature of the forward end of the backing plate 4l and it will be observed that said end of the Wick is partly located below the plane of the diagonal bottom wall of the tank. This is also true of the roller 32 and as a result the said roller and forward end of the wick provide the supports for the present moistening device.

In order to lift and hold the wick `out of contact with the top sheet of the pile, such as when the moistening device is not in use, the invention provides a lever 50 pivoted to the front Wall 43 of the backing plate 4I. When the moistening device is in use the lever is positioned horizontally as in Figure l but in order to lift the wick from off the pile it is only necessary to turn the lever to a vertical position.

Also for adding sheets to the pile Within the container and for other reasons it is desirable to have the moistening device located in an out of the way position. Accordingly, the slots 34 have a part 35 at their upper end whereby the device may be suspended well above the pile where no obstruction will be presented to the operator in attending to the pile of sheets. To suspend the device requires that pins 5|, tied to pins 33 by chains 52, be inserted in openings in the end member' 3l), respectively. The pins 5I pass through the slots 34 and when located in the bayonet portions 35 will operate to suspend the device from the walls of the container.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device Will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a moistening device for the purposes described, in combination, a tank adapted to contain` a liquid, a. passage extending within the tank, aiwick formed of fibrous .material extending within ,saidpassage for the full depth thereof and having its forward. end projecting beyondthe tank, a reservoir, for supplying liquid to said tank and which maintains the liquid therein at a predetermined level, a backing plate for saidwick also located within said passage, said plate having a forward end extending beyond the tank and overlyingthe projecting end of the wick to direct the same downwardly, and paper guides adjustably carried by said backing plate.

`2., Ina moistening device for the purposes. described, in combination, a tank adapted to contain a 1iquid,.a passage extending within the tank, a wick formed of iibrous material extending within said passage for the full depth thereof andhaving its forward end projecting beyond the tank, a` reservoir for supplying liquid to said tank, a backing plate for said wick also located within said passage for frictionally holding the wick in place, said plate having a forward end extending beyond the tank and overlying the projecting end ofthe wick to direct the same downwardly, and members carried by said backing plate providing paper stops located outwardly beyond the forward projecting end of the wick.

3. In a moistening device for moistening paper sheets, in combination, a tank substantially triangularin cross sectionhaving a horizontal top wall and a diagonal bottom wall, a passage extending within the tank and formed in part by the diagonal bottom wall, avwick in said passage having its forward end projecting beyond the tank, a reservoir supported by the horizontal top wall of the tank for supplying a liquid thereto, and a backing plate for said wick, said plate having a forward end extending beyond the tank and overlying the projecting end of the wick to direct the same downwardly so that a part of said forward end of the wick is located below the plane of said diagonal bottom wall.

4. A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located within said `container' and adapted to normally rest on said pile, guiding means for the moistening device confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said moistening device including a tank containing a liquid, a wick extending into the tank and having its forward end extending beyond the tank and depending below the plane of the bottom wall thereof, and a rotatable member mounted on said tank at the rear thereof and which also depends below said bottom wall, whereby the moistening device is' supported on said pile partly by said wick and partly by the rotatable member.

5. A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located within said container and adapted to normally rest on said pile, guiding means for the moistening device confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said moistening device including a tank containing a liquid, a passage extending within said tank, a wick formed of fibrous material located within said passage,` said wick having its forward end extending beyond the tank anddepending below the plane of the bottom wall thereof, and a roller rotatably supported by the tank at the rear thereof and which also depends below said bottom wall, whereby the moistening device is supported on said pile partly by said Wick and partly by said roller.

6. A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile. of paper sheets, a moistening device located within said container and adapted to normally rest on saidpile, said container having vertical slots in the sidewalls, thereof for guiding said moistening device and confining its movement to asubstantiallyvertical plane, said device including a tank containing a liquid, a wick extending into said tank and having its forward end projecting beyond the tank, and a roller rotatably supported by the tank at the rear thereof, said forward projecting end of the wick and said roller depending below the plane of the bottom wall of said tank whereby the moistening device is supported on the pile of sheets partly by the wick-aud partly by said roller. v

7. A portabledevice of the character described, comprising` a container having a support for` a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located within said container and adapted to normally rest on said pile, said container having vertical slots in the side walls thereofV for guidingsaid moistening device and confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, a Wick provided by said moistening device andadapted to Contact the top sheet of said pile for moistening the same as the sheet is withdrawn, and means provided by the container and moistening device respectively for supporting the device from the side walls of the container in an inoperative position over said pile of sheets.

8. A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located within said container and adapted to normally rest on sai-d pile, said container having vertical slots in the side walls thereof for guiding said moistening device and confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said device including a tank containing a liquid, and a wick extending into said tank and having a forward projecting end adapted to Contact the top sheet of said pile for applying the liquid thereto as the sheet is withdrawn, said moistening device. being supported by the pile sothat its weight maintains the projecting end of the wick in contact vice located wthin said container and adapted to normally rest on said pile, guiding means for the moistening device confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said device including a tank having a substantially horizontal top wall, a vertical rear wall and a diagonal bottom wall substantially parallel to the diagonal shelf of the container, a passage leading to the interior of said tank formed in part by the diagonal bottom wall thereof, a Wick in said passage having a forward end extending beyond the same and adapted to contact the top sheet of said pile, and a reservoir supported on the horizontal top Wall of the tank for supplying liquid thereto.

10. A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located Within said container and adapted to normally rest on said pile, said container having vertical slots in the side wall thereof for guiding said moistening device and confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said device including a substantially closed tank containing a liquid, a passage extending within the tank, a wick located within said passage and having its forward end projecting beyond the tank, a backing plate for said wick also located within the passage, said plate having a forward end extending beyond the tank and overlying the projecting end of the wick to direct the same downwardly into contact with the top sheet of said pile, whereby said wick will moisten said top sheet as the same is withdrawn, said moistening device being supported by the pile so that its weight maintains the wick in contact with said top sheet, and means carried by said plate adapted to lift the forward end of said moistening device when actuated to hold the wick in elevated positio-n out of contact with said sheet.

11. A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located `Within said containerand adapted to normally rest on said pile, said container having vertical slots in the side wall thereof for guiding said moistening device and conning its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said device includingfa substantially closed tank containing a liquid, a passage extending within the tank, a wick located within said passage and having its forward end projecting beyond the tank, a backing plate for said wick also located within the passage, said plate having a forward end extending beyond the tank and overlying the projecting end of the wick to direct the same downwardly into contact with the top sheet of said pile, whereby said wick will moisten said top sheet as the same is withdrawn, and paper guides adjustably carried by said backing plate.

l2, A portable device of the character described, comprising a container having a support for a pile of paper sheets, a moistening device located within said container and adapted to normally rest on said pile, said contain-er having vertical slots in the side wall thereof for guiding said moistening device and confining its movement to a substantially vertical plane, said device including a substantially closed tank containing a liquid, a passage extending within the tank, a wick located within said passage and having its forward end projecting beyond the tank, a backing plate for said wick also located within the passage, said plate having a forward end extending beyond the tank and overlying the projecting end of the wick to direct the same downwardly into contact with the top sheet of said pile, whereby said wick will moisten said top sheet as the same is withdrawn, and members adjustably carried by said backing plate providing paper stops located outwardly beyond the forward edge of said pilel ROY C. GOETTSCHE. 

